Rowland Carson replies:
>Colin - my information, from the German registration section of Air-Britain
>News, shows Walter Binder's Europa registered 8-11-95 as D-EPWB (_not_
>D-EPWR). Given his initials, WB seems more likely. Can you confirm which is
>actually painted on the aeroplane, please?
You are quite right. I cannot tell now whether I wrote it down wrong or
typed it in wrong, but it is D-EPWB. The aircraft was still there this lunch
time, but packed with bags ready to go.
>With all that extra stuff, I assume it's operating as a single-seater,
>right? And who did the stress calculations (& spin testing?) for all that
>extra weight in the outboard ends of the wings?
Definitely still a two seater, complete with passenger and his luggage, for
which space is no problem. Walter speaks no English - he even flew here by a
long round-about route to avoid speaking to any non-German speaking
controllers. His passenger had a few words of English, and several people
tried to enquire about the weight, but he was not conversant with the
project (or aviation ?) and could not help - save to say he thought he had
heard 600kg mentioned, or was it 500 ? We could not get any technical
answers. If you would like his address, and can write to him in German,
email me direct. The workmanship all appears to be absolutely first class,
which encourages me to assume that the paperwork will be the same. If he did
all this himself without the help of a team of experts from the aviation
industry, then he is a remarkable man. (As pure speculation, based on his
address, did Schleichers have a hand in it - for instance, is it covered in
Gel-Coat ?).
I watched it take-off and land twice, both times fully loaded. The take-off
run in nil wind was longer (and the climb-out flatter) than I would have
liked, perhaps 400 yards. Walter does a good job of controlling the dreaded
porpoising, especially since the main wheel is un-damped, the tail wheel
well sprung, and Dunstable is a rough and undulating field (to say the
least). I think that this emphasises the value of 20 degree take-off flap
and 32 degree landing. (Yes, it is marked on the panel as 0/20/32 degrees
rather than the 0/17/32 I first noted).
In answer to another query, I did not take any photos (sorry). They would
have to be detailed close-ups to be of any use, and mostly from the ground
upwards, and I do not have that sort of equipment.
-- Colin Wray
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Colin Wray, Greenchurch Software Ltd, UK
Email: colin@greench.co.uk
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